Where were Les Breastfeeders when I was growing up? After listening to their album Le Matin De Grand Soirs I see there’s a lot more French music out there than Mitsou and Roche Voisine. And it rocks pretty hard too, which is an exceptional feat as rocking out in French has proved so difficult for countless other bands. These SOCAN award winners come off as playful and energetic while staying true to their garage rock and yé-yé influences; with a full-time tambourine player added in for counting beats.
Singer/guitarist Luc Brien invites the listener to "Viens Avec Moi" on the opening track and the invatation is more than welcome. It’s the perfect song for a hectic run around Montreal in the summer or for coming home at 6am after a big night.
Fellow singer/guitarist Suzie McLelove’s syrupy sweet voice is a perfect contrast to Brien’s on the majority of tracks. When she takes the lead, like on the bright "Funny Funiculaire", McLelove vocally glides over hard guitar riffs and keyboard pops with an effortlessness that would be right at home in Paris circa 1965. Les Breastfeeders have managed to marry optimistic hippie sensibility to the unpredictability of alt-rock.
The track "Tuer L’Idole", while it may be Cobain inspired is more of a Strokes-ish rant, exceptionally crafted with the carelessness of punk. The 14-second jaunty ditty "Da-Di-Dam", seems out of place at first, but on a second listen reminds us that they’re here to have fun.
The disc as a whole seems completely original, transcending language barriers, while echoing a different era. Bilingualism an asset but not required.
